A genus of long-legged tree-dwelling ducks that spend more time perching in trees than most ducks.
From Greek dendro- (tree) + kykna (swan or duck). The genus name describes the unusual behavior of these ducks, which often rest and nest in tree cavities and branches, unlike typical dabbling ducks.
These ducks are so good at perching that they regularly climb into trees and sit on branches—their feet and legs evolved to grip branches much better than typical ducks, letting them exploit a food source and nesting habitat that other ducks can't access!
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